To the non-chefs among us, the difference between panko and ordinary breadcrumbs might not be immediately obvious. So what are panko breadcrumbs and how are they used?

1. WHAT ARE PANKO
BREADCRUMBS
by Christopher Flatt
www.becomingachef.co.uk

2. WHAT ARE PANKO BREADCRUMBS AND HOW
ARE THEY USED IN COOKING?
• The Difference Between Panko And Ordinary Breadcrumbs Might
Not Be Obvious
• Japanese-style Panko Has A Better Texture And Superior Coating
Ability
• Most Amateur Cooks Have Come To Appreciate Them

3. WHAT EXACTLY IS PANKO?
• Panko Is A Type Of Breadcrumb
• Its Texture Is Much More Flaky Than The Typical Kind
• The Origin Of Panko Is Asian
• Two Main Varieties Exist; One Is Made From White Bread With
The Crust Removed
• While The Other Variety Is Made From The Complete Loaf

4. MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PANKO AND
BREADCRUMBS
• Panko Is Made Once The Bread Is Processed And Split Up Into
Large Flakes And Dried
• It Is Not Divided Into Crumbs, This Is A Main Difference
• Panko Has A Light And Airy Texture That Helps In The Crisping
Process During Cooking
• It Will Absorb Less Oil Than Breadcrumbs
• Which Gives A Crisp And Crunchy Look To The Food

5. • Panko Has Almost No Flavour And Can Be Added To Many Dishes
• It Can Be Used As A Crunchy Topping For Baked Casseroles
• It Can Enhance The Texture Of The Meal Without Compromising The
Taste
• One Common Dish Which UK Cooks Have Adopted To The Use Of
Panko, Is Macaroni And Cheese
• It Is Also Used To Coat Various Types Of Fried Foods
• The Japanese Use Panko For A Variety Of Dishes Including Seafood
Tempura

6. WHY ARE THE JAPANESE SO FOND OF
PANKO?
• To Understand Why Panko Has Become So Popular Globally, It Is
Helpful To Go Back To Its Japanese Roots
• Tonkatsu Is A Fantastic Way To Use Panko, As It Relies On The
Crust-free Nature Of This Topping Useful For Frying A Variety Of
Different Foods
• Consider The Following Uses That The Japanese Panko Is Used
For By Chefs

7. BAKED ASPARAGUS FRIES
• Asparagus Spears That Have Been Fried Using Panko
• All That Is Necessary Is To Take The Asparagus, Dip Them In
Some Flour, Then Place Them In An Egg Mixture, And Finally Roll
The Spear In Some Panko
• The Result Will Be A Crispy And Tender Piece Of Asparagus
• It Also Looks Good, So Makes A Good Side Dish To Fish Or
Some Sushi

8. TEMPURA GLAZED SWEET POTATOES
• Japanese Sweet Potatoes - You Can Make This Unique Dish
Using Panko As The Topping
• Take Some Sweet Potatoes And Cut Them Into Cubes
• Roast Them In The Oven Using A Mix Of Mirin, Sugar, And
Vinegar
• Then Add In Your Panko And Leave To Become Crispy And
Toasted

9. What Other Uses Have You Discovered For Panko?
There Are Many Of Them, So Share Them With Other Cooks In
Your Social Media Network And Lets Spread The Knowledge And
Enjoy A New Fusion Of Flavour The Likes Of Which The Japanese
Have Enjoyed For Generations

10. CHRISTOPHER FLATT
www.becomingachef.co.uk
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